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The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

 

**SPOILERS BE HERE**

Dare I say it? I dare: I loved this book. I tore through it in about two days. I'm a sucker for modern romance, but this one ticked all the boxes. 
  • There weren't an effusion of sex scenes, and they were there to further the plot. 
  • It was a lot more realistic than most romance novels—there was actual communication and character growth, and it dealt with real issues.
    • Of course, there were unrealistic bits. Like how did all these men find each other? Are they seriously spying on dates? Mack is such a caricature. Did Gavin really not notice how the WAGs were treating Thea? 
  • It was cute without being cavity-inducing or cringey.
The main issue (Thea faking it) felt a little weak to me at first; Gavin absolutely overreacted and Thea overreacted to his overreaction. However, I liked that their reactions made sense as the book progressed and their underlying problems came to light. I also enjoyed that Thea didn't break it off when she found out about the books because really, I don't see them as problematic. We learn from the entertainment we consume, and Gavin explaining that he stole the words because he couldn't find them himself is perfectly plausible. Her knee jerk reaction to be upset about it is understandable, but I'm very happy she came around so quickly. 

Liv was definitely my least favorite character. Yes, she's trying to protect her sister, but as soon as she saw Thea was open to trying to make her marriage work, she should have started discussing it with her instead of brushing it off. Find out why she changed her mind! Probe to see if it's a mistake or if there are redeeming qualities! Support her instead of insulting her! Obviously it all stems from Liv's background, but I was dying for her to be more supportive. I was so happy when their friend told her off. I think her 180 could have been explored a little more—she kind of just flipped from being vehemently opposed to the marriage to being ok with it—but that probably would have messed with the pacing of the book.

I'm definitely going to read the sequels.

Completed: 5 December 2020
Rating: 4/5 
Recommend: Yes, unless you despise romance

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